Raid took 29 gang members off streets

Friday

Nov 16, 2012 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones and members of other law enforcement agencies held a joint news conference Thursday at the Stewart Eberhardt Building to detail Operation Family Feud, a five-month investigation that led to dozens of arrests.

Jason Anderson

STOCKTON - Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones and members of other law enforcement agencies held a joint news conference Thursday at the Stewart Eberhardt Building to detail Operation Family Feud, a five-month investigation that led to dozens of arrests.

Authorities displayed guns, drugs, body armor and gang paraphernalia seized in a series of raids across San Joaquin County. The raids resulted in 39 arrests, including 29 documented gang members. Police confiscated a machine gun, an assault rifle and several shotguns as well as drugs such as marijuana, heroin and crystal methamphetamine.

"These were some of the worst of the worst offenders at the very top of the crime pyramid in Stockton," Jones said. "We're very pleased to take these very violent, very dangerous offenders out of commission."

Jones was flanked by San Joaquin County Sheriff Steve Moore, San Joaquin County Chief Deputy District Attorney Ron Freitas, California Highway Patrol Cmdr. Rob Patrick, FBI Agent Todd Irinaga and ATF Agent Jeffrey Vind. Moore said the area is safer than it was five months ago as a result of the arrests.

"Every operation like this makes the community safer, and we continue to work toward that," Moore said. "This is an operation that will definitely have an impact."

Raids targeting Norteņo gang members were carried out by representatives of the Stockton, Manteca and Lodi police departments as well as the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, the CHP, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the state Department of Justice and the state Parole and Corrections Team.

Freitas, the deputy district attorney overseeing the homicide and gang division, said the suspects will be arraigned this afternoon, adding he is "very confident" in the charges being filed against them.

"District Attorney Jim Willett would like to state his appreciation to the Stockton Police Department - both the leadership and the officers - for the investment they made into public safety in taking these very violent predators out of our community," Freitas said. "With the conspiracy charges and gang enhancements, it appears these individuals are all facing strikes that range from several years in state prison to many years past that."